I marvel at the number of healing modalities out there: from Western medicine to Eastern philosophy, from shamanism to folk medicine.Some of us are fortunate to have access to it all, while others are limited to a narrow spectrum of the healing rainbow.

Lately, I’ve been thinking about the physical/emotional health of certain relatives, friends and patients, even adding my personal state into the contemplative mix.I’ve asked certain questions.How do we make space for our body?How do we tune in to its wise message?

A body part calls outHelp, I’m hurting Stay with me

Do you walk away in disgust or wait for the story breathing listening patiently to its language what it needs to function

how it really wants to support you the best way it can if it’s given the chance to speak

On my journey towards wellness, towards wholeness, I’ve come to discover a few things.When a body part or organ system calls out, I cannot walk away in disgust.If I do, I banish that part of me from the sacred temple of wholeness.I don’t give the body a chance to tell its story, to honor it for supporting me, to thank it for doing the best that it can.The exact healing modality I choose isn’t as important as the attitude I bring to the healing journey.Am I annoyed at the body’s incompetence, grateful for its wonder, or somewhere in between?

Making space for the body and tuning in to its wise messages take a tremendous amount of patience and time.If you’re looking for a quick fix, you won’t find it here.Not that there’s anything wrong with a quick fix.It just depends on how deep you want the healing to go in yourself (and maybe even the generations before and after you).

Making space.Patience.Time.Who has space, patience, or time?I don’t know about you, but everywhere I look, we’re racing against the clock, impatient and don’t have the space or time to do what I’m suggesting above.Who has time for exercise, nutritious meals, body based practices that can help us experience life from the inside out, creative endeavors that sing to our souls, or supportive communities that can understand and normalize our experiences?Commitments to work, family, and the community don’t make anything easy.

Still, I’d like to invite you to take one step towards wellness, towards wholeness whatever that might mean for you in your particular situation.In the comments section, please share one practice that is helping you listen to your body.In giving yourself one gift of space, patience, and time, may your body speak to you in ways that are both meaningful and supportive.

Disclaimer: I cannot overemphasize this notion of space, patience, and time.The body is intelligent.It will know when you have an agenda – when you are trying to force it to speak, heal, or change before it is ready.If you are genuinely curious, stay listening just as you would with a distressed friend or frightened child.Your body will speak when it is ready, and not a minute beforehand.